


The Secrets We Keep

by Ethereal_Wishes



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Twins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2018-12-09 14:21:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11670792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ethereal_Wishes/pseuds/Ethereal_Wishes
Summary: Belle and Rumple Stiltskin are happily married, but there's always one thing that has bothered her. She can't have children, and even though Rumple reminds her never to lose faith, it isn't enough. She takes matters into her own hands when she makes a deal with a mysterious sorcerer behind his back which will cost her more than she ever thought possible.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [imgilmoregirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/imgilmoregirl/gifts).



A/AN: Sometimes keeping secrets can come with deadly consequences. They can tear apart lovers and families so is it really worth it to keep a secret? Belle finds out the hard way that everything comes with a price and not always the kind you're willing to pay. This is for my new friend, imgilmoregirl who's doing a great job with her fics! Go check her out!

Belle Stiltskin should've been happy with her life. She had a loving husband who had a successful trade that kept her belly full and a roof over their heads, but she wasn't. She loved her husband. He was perfect in every way to her but there was still a gaping hole in her heart. She felt it every time she walked through the village and children ran past her or when she heard a newborn's cry. Her hand would always gravitate to that empty place below her heart -- that place she prayed would be filled every time her husband spilled his seed inside of her, but it never happened. They had been married for over three years, and she was still barren which was the worst curse imaginable.

Belle sat by the fire, finishing up her knitting - a pair of booties for her best friend Ruby's baby boy that would be born in Springtime. She was so engrossed in her task that she didn't hear the sound of the old wooden door slamming, brisk winter air filling the hovel.

She smiled faintly when she felt her husband kiss her temple lightly, signaling he was home. He sat down in the chair adjacent to her, propping up his bad leg - the result of a birth defect.

"How are you fairing today, my Belle? Did you have a good time with Ruby?" He inquired to the beauty.

"Yes, we had a good time together. I think she's ready for the baby to be here because her feet are swelling. She always has to keep them propped up and can't go anywhere," Belle enlightened him, staring at the flames licking the hearth.

She looked up when she felt her husband's hand on her thigh. "We could try tonight, my Belle. There's no sense in giving up," he smiled with warm brown eyes which touched her heart.

"I want to believe it's possible but it's been over three years, Rum…Maybe it's time we face the facts that we're not meant to be parents. I cannot bear to see my monthly blood, a painful reminder of what other women have that I don't," she sighed, placing her hand over his.

"These things take time, my Belle…You must have faith," he encouraged, kneading her thigh with his calloused hand, sending delicious shivers down her spine.

"I had faith, but it has gotten me nowhere," she sighed, dropping her knitting needles on the ground as he moved behind her, planting a warm kiss on her nape, foretelling of many wondrous things to come.

"I have faith in you…in us…" he whispered huskily in her ear, laving it with his tongue. She moaned, leaning forward to give him better access to her neck.

"Show me, Rum…" she pleaded, her mind wandering to blissful events which would follow lingering kisses.

"A pleasure, my love," he whispered before hoisting her into his arms. She was light and even though his bad leg protested, he would never deny his wife the luxury of holding her.

"Don't talk to me like I'm some princess…" she muttered against his skin as he deposited her on their straw mattress.

"You're not a princess, but a queen…My queen to be exact," he continued kissing down her neck towards her bosom. He undid the laces in her gown, pulling them open with his weathered hands, intricately exploring her skin. She moaned into his kiss as their clothing came off slowly.

They spent the night wrapped up in each others' arms, cherishing the warmth their bodies emitted, keeping out winter's chill. His fingers splayed against her abdomen, their silhouettes dancing against the wall from the single lit candle.

"At the end of summer we'll have a boy…" he kissed her temple as he held her close under the worn wool duvet.

"What makes you so sure?" Belle inquired, gazing up at him with inquisitive blue eyes.

"Because I have faith…I have faith in us," he assured her.

"And you're sure it's enough?" Belle queried, her mind still full of doubt.

"Yes, it will always be enough," he smiled, holding her close. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his wispy hair tickling her skin. She closed her eyes, letting her hand splay across his back, the candlelight extinguishing itself as it burned down.

~X~

They met when she was just seventeen. Her father had apprenticed her to him, to partake of his trade. He was the best spinner in all the land, and Maurice, the town butcher, wanted his daughter to have a trade that suited her.

She trained under his hand for six months when her father tragically fell dead with a heart attack. The plan was for her to move to another village and work under two spinsters, but that plan fell through. The ogres ransacked the countryside, and the men were sent off to a war they'd never return from. Rumplestiltskin wasn't considered to be a qualified soldier because he would slow down the army. He was a cripple, and Hordor wasn't interested in enlisting cripples, but he was interested in her father's shop and its furnishings, so it was siezed. She didn't even receive a settlement for her losses.

Belle hadn't planned on marrying Rumplestiltskin, but it seemed like a good choice. He was nearly twenty years older than her, but he treated her kindly enough, and even though he was a cripple, he would provide her with a stable living. He would take care of her, and a crippled husband was still better than a dead husband. More than half of the townswomen were widows after the wars, so Belle considered herself lucky.

They lived on the edge of the village and were ousted by most of the town, but Belle didn't mind. She never cared for many of the townsfolk because most were close-minded about her bookish ways and the little education her father had provided her with. Women weren't meant to have a voice, but Rumplestiltskin wasn't like other men. He bought her books when they had a little money leftover from a good sale at market and listened intently to her ideas about politics and a new world.

He had given her so much, and even though they shared a life full of love, she still wasn't satisfied. Her heart still wasn't full because she couldn't give him a child. She heard two women talking in hushed whispers in the market place. She had gone into town to buy bread from the bakery and cheese from the farmer, when she heard the two old women conversing. She knew she shouldn't eavesdrop, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her.

"I heard he has the power to grant anyone their heart's desire," the first woman whispered to the other.

"Does he do it for free?" inquired the other woman.

"Of course not! Everything he does comes with a price!" The first woman exclaimed.

"What kind of price?"

"Whatever suits him, but if you have something he wants, then he will do anything you desire," the first woman said, rubbing her hands together for warmth.

Belle couldn't take it anymore as she finally emerged from the shadows, confronting the two women. They both looked at her startlingly, but curiously as well.

"I'm sorry for eavesdropping on your conversation, but I heard you say something about a man who grants wishes?" inquired Belle to the two women.

"Certainly, my dear, but what can a poor spinner's wife offer a sorcerer?" inquired the first woman snidely.

"Please tell me where I can find him," she pleaded, holding out the fresh loaf of bread. She watched the old woman lick her lips before snatching the bread away.

"He lives on the North mountain in a large castle. It's about a three day's journey from here, but I wouldn't risk it until the king's road is cleared. You'd die of frostbite the first day or the wolves will claim you," she chided, stuffing a piece of the warm loaf in her mouth.

"Thank you…" Belle respired, running in the other direction, certain of what she must do at the first sight of Spring. She and Rumple wouldn't be childless the rest of their lives if she could offer this mysterious sorcerer the right price, and she was willing to pay anything to have what she desired most.

~X~

Belle watched her husband spin under the candlelight, the hum of the wheel easing her mind. Her thoughts drifted back to the conversation the two elderly women shared in the market place. She wondered what the sorcerer was like and what kind of payment he'd expect. Magic was a taboo subject in their land. The clerics had burned all of the magical tomes they could get their hands on, and they imprisoned its users in hopes of "cleansing" them.

The clerics were foolish, because they were automatically against what they couldn't understand. Many of the books they'd burned were valuable tomes that healers used in their medicine making. Belle didn't particularly believe in magic because she'd never witnessed it. She'd lived in this village her entire life and settled down with a man she loved.

Did she truly love Rumplestiltskin? He was a convenient choice to most, and they thought she was too young and beautiful to be with him, but she didn't see it that way. They said she was a coward because she married a man who couldn't fight in the war, but what good was a dead husband?

She was pulled from her disarray of thoughts when she felt two steady hands on her shoulders. "It's getting late…Why don't we turn in, sweetheart?" Her husband suggested, stifling back a yawn. She squeezed his hand lightly, standing from her chair.

"Turning in sounds lovely." she yawned in return, remembering how exhausting her day had been. He grabbed his walking stick, and she helped him up the stairs. It seemed like his leg was giving him trouble today, probably because of the cold. They made their way into the bedroom.

Belle undid her braid, allowing her hair to fall in waves across her back. She brushed it out with a small decorative comb he'd gifted her with on their last anniversary. She pulled on her cotton gown, and grinned when her husband gave an appreciative whistle.

"You're the prettiest girl in all the realms. How did I get so lucky to find someone like you, Belle-of-mine?" He inquired tenderly, placing an erratic curl behind her ear. She grabbed both of his hands, interlacing her fingers.

She pushed him back on the bed, towering over him. Rumplestiltskin wasn't a large man by anyone's standards, but Belle hadn't ever been into brawny men. She needed someone that could stimulate her mind before they could have her body, and he was that man.

"Well, I think it has something to do with being the only man in the village who could turn my head. Your heart is as pure as gold, Rumple, and that's what I was looking for, someone who could love me unconditionally without trying to change me," she professed, kissing his lips passionately. He moaned into her throat, threading his nimble fingers through her hair.

"I thought you would have been embarrassed that a man my age was still a virgin when we wed, but it isn't like anyone would want a cripple," he berated himself between kisses. Belle loathed when her husband wallowed in his insecurities.

"You listen to me, Rumplestiltskin…I found it sweet and endearing to know you weren't like those scoundrels who make a sport out of bedding women, and this-" Belle paused, moving between his legs. She took his calf in her hands and bent down, pressing her lips against it. "This is what makes you beautiful. I love every part of you, my dear Rumple, even the parts you loathe the most." She smiled, kissing further up the joint, causing him to tremble from her sweet kisses.

"I'm so undeserving of you, sweetheart," he muttered. She stopped kissing him, moving up to lay beside him. She snuggled against him, placing her warm palm against his cheek.

"No, Rumple…You deserve every part of me. There isn't another man in the entire village who treats me as an equal. You could easily flaunt me around like I'm some possession, but you don't. You nurture my intellect even though I cannot provide you with what you truly deserve," she sighed, placing her hand over her flat stomach.

"Belle, don't..." 

"What good is a barren wife?" Belle cried, as Rumple took her into his arms, cradling her against his chest.

"Oh, sweetheart…I know you want a child, but even if we never have one, I wouldn't love you any less. You bring the best out in me, Belle," he assured her, kissing her crown of hair lightly.

"I love you, Rumple…" she muttered against his skin, and he smiled to himself before blowing out the candle on the bedside table, tucking the covers over them.

"And I love you too, " he returned. Belle couldn't help but think about the North Mountain and what laid ahead for them. She could only imagine the look on her beloved's face when she told him she was pregnant. They would be happy soon, and all would be complete.


	2. Chapter 2

The Secrets We Keep: Part Two

 

A/AN: Sorry for not updating in so long, but I'm trying to focus on updating one fic at a time, aside from my drabble series.

 

“Ruby, he's so beautiful,” Belle gushed, cradling the newborn infant in her arms.

“He certainly is, but the lad's a screamer. Graham has been a big help though. You couldn't persuade most husbands to lift a finger. They want 'em, but they don't want to help with the bairn once it arrives,” Ruby commented, resting her hands in her lap. 

“I know Rumple would like a child, but we haven't been successful with conceiving,” Belle sighed, her despondency crashing back down on her.

“Have you been taking the herbs Granny gave you? Resting a pillow under your bum after he-”

“-Yes, I've been doing all of those things." Belle blushed deeply, averting her gaze sheepishly.

“It will happen for you, Belle,” Ruby reassured her, patting her knee gently. 

“It's been almost four years, and I'm not sure if it will,” she sighed, gazing out the window – her eyes lingering on the chain of mountains in the distance. She'd been toying with the idea of journeying there all winter, but what if it was all for nothing, or she couldn't pay the sorcerer's price? 

“There are other ways though, Belle... Have you ever thought of adopting? There are children which are left at the nunnery monthly,” she proposed. 

“Rumple, and I don't make enough coin to pay the adoption fees. There is another path I could follow, though I know Rumple wouldn't approve. Can you keep a secret, Ruby?” she asked, searching her friend's gaze for confirmation.

“Of course,” Ruby remarked with piqued interest.

“Several months ago, I met these elderly women in the market place which told me of a legendary sorcerer which lives in the Northern Mountains. They said for a price that he would grant your heart's desire. I thought of journeying to his castle to see if he would aid me in my difficulty to conceive,” she relayed the tale, seeking Ruby's approval.

“Belle, you know what magic does to people. Besides, it's forbidden. Any person found guilty of witch craft is hanged,” Ruby admonished.

“No, Ruby, I don't know what magic does. We've been told our entire lives how terrible it is, but is it truly? Rumple will be traveling to market next week, and we'll be staying at an inn for the night. It's close to the mountain, and I plan to sneak out while he's sleeping, to see if I can find this sorcerer's residence,” she informed her.

“I pray you have safe travels then, and best of luck, because I know you're too stubborn to heed my advice,” she chuckled dryly. 

“I have to do this, Ruby, to see if there's a way to make our dreams come to fruition.” Belle sighed, hoping she would come to understand. “I best be going, Rumple will be wondering where I am.” She kissed the child's brow affectionately before handing him back to his mother.

“I hope your endeavor proves to be successful,” Ruby said, rising to her feet and walking Belle to the door. 

“It will, I just know it,” she remarked, embracing the other woman tightly before bidding her farewell.

Belle hummed quietly to herself as she made her way back home to their hovel. When she opened the door, she saw Rumple sitting at the wheel, spinning. He halted momentarily, gazing up from his work. 

“How was your visit with Ruby, sweetheart?” he inquired.

“It was enjoyable; I had the opportunity to hold the new baby,” she said, her smile not quite meeting her eyes.

“Come here, dearest,” he crooned, holding his arms out to her. Belle settled herself on the bench, between his legs, allowing him to stroke her hair and nuzzle her nape.

“I know it's tough, but soon we will have a babe of our own, it will come,” he promised.

His words rang hollow in her ears, for she'd heard him say them too often, and their circumstances still hadn't changed. Faith had gotten her nowhere, but magic might. 

“Of course,” she nodded, putting on a fake smile. 

“That's it, now how about I take a break? There's still some leftover rabbit stew from last night. We could have our supper, finish up the workload, and head to bed, and not sleep,” he said, grinning suggestively. 

Belle half-smiled, threading her fingers through his unruly locks. “Or you could just have me for supper instead,” she insinuated, drawing lazy circles on his chest. 

He swallowed back the lump in his throat, rising from his stool abruptly. She steadied him when he stumbled, smiling sweetly at him. He kissed her clumsily, sliding his hands down her ruffled sleeves. She placed them near the laces in the center of her bodice. He loosened them and pulled her dress down. She remained only in her shift, but he eagerly divested her of it, gasping when he noticed she wasn't wearing anything underneath. 

“Belle, where are your knickers?” he asked, dumbfounded. 

“I've had spontaneous love making on my mind since before I left this morning,” she said, biting her lip wantonly. 

“You saucy, minx,” he chuckled, ripping off his shirt, but struggling with his trousers. 

“Let me help you, Rumple,” she said gently, taking his hands and placing them on her shoulders while he rid himself of the rest of his clothing. He kicked his trousers away, sliding his arms around her neck; he kissed her deeply. 

“Bed?” she mumbled between kisses. 

“Yes,” he nodded amicably. 

They made it to the bed, and he eased her back onto the straw mattress. He towered over her, taking the time to nuzzle her breasts. He kissed down her abdomen, gently parting her thighs. He buried his nose in her sex, inhaling her intoxicating musk.

“Rumple,” she moaned, grasping at the quilt as his tongue went to work, pleasuring her. Her cries of euphoria echoed throughout the hovel as he ravished her. When they finally came together, Belle felt tears misting behind her eyes because being joined with him exhilarated her. This poor spinner was so attentive to her needs in the bedroom, and they may not have everything they would've liked, but the depth of love they shared more than made up for it. 

Radiance spread from the top of her head to the soles of her feet as he grunted against her shoulder, his seed filling her womb. She clasped his face in her hands, kissing him amorously. 

“I love you so much, Rumple,” she sighed blissfully, temporarily forgetting her woes. 

“And I love you too, Belle-of-mine,” he whispered hoarsely in her ear, his breathing erratic from their intense coupling. He rolled off of her, pulling her close.

“I should get back to work, I have a lot of wool left to spin between now and next week. We only take this trip once a year,” he told her, kissing her brow hurriedly. 

“I'll assist you,” she returned, her upcoming quest to the Northern Mountain, fueling her desire to work. 

“Excellent, we'll certainly accomplish more if we work together,” he commented, donning his crumpled tunic and breeches. Belle pulled back on her discarded dress, her mind lingering more on the sorcerer than her work, and the babe which would soon rest in her arms.

A/AN: Expect weekly updates, and sometimes I'll update twice a week. Belle and Rumple make their journey in the next chapter, and Belle sneaks off to the mountain in search of the sorcerer.


	3. Chapter 3

The Secrets We Keep: Chapter Three

 

“Well, I'm certainly thankful for a good day of sales,” Rumpelstiltskin yawned, stretching out on the bed in the room they'd rented for the night. 

“Yes, it was certainly a profitable day,” Belle grinned lazily at him, tucking herself under the ragged quilt. Rumpelstiltskin pulled her closer, turning over to blow out the candle on the nightstand. 

“Perhaps I can buy you one of those pretty scarves from one of the vendors before we head home tomorrow,” he mumbled drowsily.

“That would be nice,” she responded.

He didn't reply, and in a matter of minutes, Belle heard soft snuffles erupting from his throat. She prayed he slept soundly all night as she slid out of bed, and soundlessly out the door. The sorcerer's residence was close by. She'd bribed an old healer with a spool of thread when Rumpelstiltskin wasn't looking, and she'd given her the coordinates to his castle.

Belle crept out of the boisterous tavern and headed for the stables where she retrieved their work horse. She paid the stable boy a few coppers for a lantern full of oil and rode for the North Mountain. The trek to the sorcerer's castle was nearly five miles and the biting chill of the night air made her pull her cloak more securely around her shivering frame. After a couple of hours of riding, a looming castle appeared in the distance. 

Belle's horse reared up, refusing to go any farther. Belle pulled on the reins, steadying him. “Steady, boy,” she crooned, dismounting the horse when he proved to be inconsolable. “Tis' alright, I can simply walk the rest of the way,” she said, petting his mane. Belle tied him loosely to a nearby tree. The horse began to munch contentedly on a patch of thistles.

Belle sucked in a deep breath, halting momentarily. “Do the brave thing and bravery will follow,” she reminded herself as she marched towards the castle. When she reached the enormous oaken doors, she raised up her fist, knocking hesitantly. Her heart slammed into her ribcage as the doors opened abruptly. 

She took a step back, swallowing her fear as she proceeded into the castle, her lantern illuminating the corridors. “Hello?” she called out hesitantly. “I'm here to make a deal, and I was told you could help me.”

A gust of wind whooshed beneath her skirts, causing the lantern light to flicker. It took every amount of resilience she had not to bolt and abandon this whole endeavor. She blinked in confusion as an entity wearing a cloak appeared in front of her.

“Who dares to disturb the, Dark One?” the creature snarled, flashing its ruined teeth at her menacingly. 

“Tis I, Belle Stiltskin,” the peasant woman blurted out frighteningly. The Dark One said nothing as it circled her dangerously in quiet observance.

“Are you certain you're willing to pay my price? You'd turn back if you know what's best for you,” the entity teased in its impish tone.

“Yes, I'm willing, I came here to ask you to give me something which will help me conceive. My husband and I are unable to sire children,” she revealed, diverting her gaze away from the demon. 

“I see...You wish to bear a child. Bareness is an ugly curse,” The beast cackled, allowing its hood to fall around its shoulders, revealing a woman with glittering skin and deep amber orbs.

“You're a woman...” Belle stammered in disbelief. 

“Yes, my name is Nimue. I only reveal my true form to those with a pure heart, and yours is as pure as they come. You and your husband also share true love which means the child you'll bear will be very special. I will concede to your request for a price, but I shall not reveal my terms to you until your child is twelve years old.” Nimue grinned cynically at her.

Nimue flicked her wrist, revealing a glowing red vial. “Drink this on the night of the next full moon, and you shall conceive a child.”

Belle reached for the vial, but the Dark One recoiled her hand, holding it out of her reach. “Not until I know you've conceded to the terms of my deal. Do we have one or not?” Nimue inquired, analyzing her with glowing amber orbs.

“I'll do whatever it takes,” Belle consented, absentmindedly touching her flat abdomen. She disregarded the Dark One's price or what it would take to achieve her happy ending. 

“Very well then,” the creature nodded, holding out the potion to her. Belle hesitantly took it, tucking it within her dress pocket.

“Now it's time for you to return to your husband's side. If you tell him of our deal, then it shall be nullified, and the potion won't work,” she warned.

“I won't breathe a word of it to him. He doesn't have to know,” Belle nodded vigorously. 

“Good girl,” the Dark One cooed, dusting her talon lightly down the maiden's face, causing her to shiver with fear. 

“Now go back to sleep and when you awake, you'll be in your 'twu luv's' arms,” she giggled impishly, waving her hand in front of her face. A crimson haze filled the room, and Belle felt her eyelids becoming heavy. 

She'd brushed it off as being nothing more than a vivid dream when she awoke in the inn that morning, wrapped securely in her husband's embrace. However, she'd felt something rolling around in her pocket. When she'd reached inside, the glowing potion winked at her, and she knew it had been no dream. She had indeed made a deal with the Dark One and would soon be a mother.


	4. Chapter 4

The Secrets We Keep: Part Four

 

“So she gave you a potion, then, hm?” Ruby inquired, narrowing her gaze. 

“Yeah, I'm supposed to drink it and give him some too on the night of the next full moon which is tonight. The Dark One told me I would conceive afterward,” Belle supplied, smiling fondly at Talon - Ruby's son.

Ruby paled. “The Dark One? Belle, that's worse than going to any sorcerer! What did she ask of you in return!?”

Belle shrugged. “Not to tell my husband. She told me she would come to claim her price in a few more years.”

“Wow, how wise of you to say yes to that witch!” Ruby bit back sarcastically. 

“Hey! You and Graham have been blessed with a child, but I've been barren since our nuptials! How could you even begin to understand!?” she bit back icily. 

“I can't empathize or even to begin to understand what you're going through, but sometimes fate has other plans, and who are we to question them? If you know what's best, you won't drink that potion. From what I've heard of the Dark One, she's a temptress, and her price always ends up being very steep. You'll be paying off that debt the rest of your life if you say yes,” Ruby forewarned, her voice laced with caution.

“I should get going,” Belle huffed, rising to her feet. 

“Don't come back here if you plan on going through with your vile plan. I don't want the curse of dark magic lingering over my household or near my son,” she told her, escorting her to the door.

“I wouldn't dream of coming back!” Belle hissed, storming out of Ruby's hovel vehemently. 

Tears stung her eyelids as she rushed home, but she needed to put up a façade, so her husband wouldn't notice her distress. She wandered to the back of their hovel when she arrived home and spent some time toiling in the garden. She gathered some fresh turnips, carrots, and potatoes for supper, with the intention of preparing a pot of vegetable soup. She gathered the vegetables within her apron before proceeding inside. 

Rumpelstiltskin was spinning at the wheel as usual. She wordlessly began preparing supper, and he was too lost in concentration to bother glancing up. Belle was thankful for the distraction as she wiped away more stray tears.

“That smells scrumptious, darling,” he commented, halting the momentum of the wheel.

“It's ready if you're hungry,” she added, pulling two bowls from the cupboard.

“I believe it's time I call it a night, it's been a productive work day. Do you care to gather more berries for the dyes tomorrow? I'm running low on blue and since it did so well at market last week, I'd like to use it to color more of the thread,” he mentioned. 

“Of course, Rumple. Tomorrow is as good of day as any,” she returned, attempting to conceal her true emotions.

“Belle, what's gotten you so downtrodden, sweetheart?” he inquired, touching her shoulder gingerly, tilting her chin up to meet his gaze. 

“I'm fine, really. It's just been a taxing day,” she fibbed, half smiling.

“Perhaps you should retire to bed early then? I can clean up everything once we finish eating,” he offered. 

“That won't be necessary, I'll clean up the kitchen. I believe I'll put on a pot of tea. That should make me feel better,” she reassured him, fingering the vial in her pocket.

“I believe I could go for some tea myself,” he said, kissing her brow affectionately. 

“Excellent,” she grinned, a stab of guilt piercing her heart about concealing her visit with the Dark One from him, but she had no choice, and besides, he would thank her later. Belle brewed the tea and poured the contents of the vial into the mixture. Rumpelstiltskin heartily devoured the soup she'd prepared, including two cups of tea. She'd drank her own cup, and at first she hadn't felt the effects of the potion. 

“It feels quite warm in here,” he remarked, wiping sweat from his brow. And now that he'd mentioned it, she did feel her skin beginning to tingle and a distinct pulsating between her legs. She glanced up at him, his gaze lingering on her, hungrily.

She was the first to rise from her chair, closing the distance between them. He captured her lips in a searing kiss, clenching the fabric of her dress in his hands. “Take that bloody thing off, will you?” he hissed possessively, his erection brushing against her thigh. 

The heat between her legs increased, and the thought of him being slow and attentive evaded her. She hiked up her skirts, ripped off her knickers and placed her hands on the table, bracing herself as her husband entered her fluidly. She was already soaking wet, and his thrusts alleviated the ache between her thighs. He wasn't gentle and he didn't take his time as he took her with unbridled passion. As his thrusts became more erratic, Belle felt herself climax, her body shuddering as he made his release. She collapsed against the table, unable to uphold her weight any longer. 

When her legs didn't feel like they would buckle beneath her, she stood up and faced him. His cheeks were ruddy, and he was gasping for breath. “Belle, I apologize for being so hasty. I should have taken you to bed instead of rutting between your thighs like some wild animal,” he scoffed.

“I'm not sorry. It was spontaneous, and I for one enjoyed it,” she smirked, dusting her finger down his jawline tauntingly. 

“Belle, ladies shouldn't enjoy such uncouth acts,” he gasped, feigning shock.

“Well it's a good thing that I'm not a highborn noblewomen, isn't it?” she chuckled darkly, threading her fingers through his unruly locks. Their desire for each other increased, and they spent the remainder of the night lost in throes of passion. Belle knew the potion had done its work, and she would undoubtedly become pregnant.

A/AN: So yea, the potion DID work, and you'll find out more about that in the next chap.


	5. Chapter 5

The Secrets We Keep: Part Five

A/AN: Sorry for the wait, but too many WIP will do that to you!

Belle felt herself growing exuberant when her monthly blood didn't appear. She had clamored out of bed, rushing to the spinning wheel where her husband was working. She wrapped her arms around him, giggling excitedly. 

"What's gotten into you, Belle?" he asked, his curiosity piqued. 

"Rumple, I think it actually happened!" she squealed. 

"What happened?" he quizzed, furrowing a brow. 

"I believe we could actually be pregnant," she affirmed, her hand gravitating to her flat abdomen. 

"Are you for certain?" he asked, gathering her hands in his own. 

"Yes," she grinned, squeezing them in confirmation. 

"We must fetch the midwife and have her examine you!" he exclaimed, a rumble of laughter slipping from his throat. True happiness shined within his eyes, and Belle couldn't recount a time she'd felt so elated. 

The midwife came and confirmed their suspicions. Belle was pregnant and would give birth in the fall. Rumpelstiltskin made the proper preparations. He built the wee one a cradle and made an assortment of clothing. As the months sped by, Belle's belly ripened with child, but something else became apparent soon enough to the couple. She wasn't just carrying one child, but two. 

Belle contemplated this phenomenon. The Dark One had told her she would only bear one child, not two. Had she missed something among the fine print of the contract? She mulled over it for days, though it made little sense. There must have been an error in the wording, or fate had another plan. She decided to put the matter to rest as she prepared for the arrival of their children.

The day arrived all too soon. Rumpelstiltskin held his wife's hand, encouraging her to breathe as she pushed with all her might. Her labor had been long and tiresome, but the midwife had assured them the twins were both healthy: two boys which they dubbed Neal and Gideon. 

Life was good to the couple, for it was only a handful of years later the wars ended. Rumpelstiltskin spun more thread, and his work began to get noticed at market. Lords and nobles started to buy from him. The spinner was flummoxed when the Duke asked him to move to court and become his personal tailor. The family left their quaint village and hovel behind, moving into the castle where the Duke himself resided. 

Rumpelstiltskin was given a handsome salary for his work. Life was perfect, and Belle soon forgot about the deal she'd forged with the Dark One all those years ago. Her boys were whole and healthy, and lived a life filled with riches and merriment. She just had no idea it was all about to come to a screeching halt.

It was a night like any other. Belle had settled down in their luxurious bed for the evening, sighing blissfully as her husband pulled her into his arms. He nuzzled her nape, peppering her collarbone with kisses. 

"Rumple," she moaned, reaching up to pet his graying locks. 

"The Duke was satisfied with his daughter's birthday gown; there won't be a lord nor a prince in the entire realm that will be able to resist her womanly charms once they see her in her lavender ensemble," he purred in her ear.

"Lady Anastasia, how old will she be?" she asked as his fingers toyed with her left breast. 

"Thirteen, one year older than our boys. It's certainly ironic they were born on the same day," he mumbled, and then it dawned on her. A bitter cold night, a horseback ride, a demon holding a vial of swirling red liquid, a night of passion, and a conception. 

Belle felt her mind whirling with an array of images. She pushed her husband away, clamoring out of bed and lingering over the chamber pot. She emptied her stomach of its contents. Rumpelstiltskin rushed to her side, holding back her tresses as she retched.

"Belle, sweetheart, are you alright?" he asked, full of concern. 

"No, please fetch me some water," she rasped. 

He poured her a cup from the pitcher which sat on their bedside table. She drank it up greedily, attempting to wash the bitter aftertaste of bile from her mouth. Her husband coerced her back to bed, holding her close, but his loving touch couldn't erase the turmoil she was feeling inside.

Ruby's words from years past resounded within her mind. Her old comrade she hadn't spoken to in ages warned her of this day. In two day's time, the Dark One would come to collect her price, though Belle was unsure of what it entailed. Would it be so steep that it would divide her family? Perhaps she could spare her children and become her slave. She deserved whatever punishment was inflicted upon her. Oh how she wished she could bare her soul to the snoozing man beside her, but she wasn't allowed to utter a word. It had been part of their deal, and Belle knew if she broke it, that worse consequences could befall them.

Sleep finally overtook her, but it wasn't peaceful slumber which greeted her. Her mind was tormented by night terrors. One which haunted her the most was an image of her husband plunging an ancient blade through Nimue's chest. His handsome face turned grotesque, and his body a golden grayish hue. She lurched up in bed, placing her hand over her chest. She gazed over at his sleeping form. Graying locks concealed his face as she bent over to drop a kiss to his brow. 

She climbed out of bed, donning a robe around her petite frame. She silently unlocked the door to the adjoining bedroom across from theirs. In two separate beds her children slept. She halted by Neal's bed, kissing his crown of dark curls and then Gideon's. His mousy brown hair fell in his eyes, so she brushed it aside. Her boys were growing up to be handsome and strong. Neal wanted to be a knight, and Gideon a scholar. She knew her sons were both driven enough to reach their goals, but what if she'd ignorantly jeopardized their future by making a deal she didn't fully understand? Soon the price would be revealed, though Belle was unsure she would be able to live with it. She knew she didn't deserve the family she'd been given, but she would fight for them all, even if it cost her life. She would never stop fighting for them.

A/AN: Nimue makes her entrance next chapter, and the price is revealed...


End file.
